By Thomas Fuller
International Herald Tribune
Published: August 25, 2006
A high-ranking military officer dismissed over an alleged attempt to assassinate Thailand's interim prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, denied any involvement Friday and called the plot a fabrication.
"If I had done it, I guarantee that the prime minister would not have survived," General Panlop Pinmanee, the deputy chief of the Internal Security Operations Command, told reporters in Bangkok. "I think Thaksin cooked the thing up to damage me."
The discovery Thursday by police of a car laden with explosives near Thaksin's residence has added intrigue to an already shadowy political battle between the Thai leader and groups in Bangkok vowing to oust him from politics.
With elections scheduled for Oct. 15, the alleged plot introduces the prospect of further violence in a political crisis that until this week had been largely peaceful. Thailand has not had a sitting Parliament since February, when Thaksin called for a first round of elections. These were held in April but were boycotted by the opposition and nullified by the courts in May.
The driver of the car seized Thursday, Thawatchai Klinchana, is a lieutenant from the Internal Security Operations Command. He was arrested and charged with illegal possession of an explosive device.
Thaksin said Friday that "three or four" military officers were involved in the plot and that more suspects would be arrested.
"I never thought this kind of thing could happen in Thailand," Thaksin said, according to Agence France- Presse. "I don't have wicked intentions toward anybody."
News of the plot was met with skepticism by many in Bangkok. Newspapers pointed to conflicting reports by officers at the scene, noting that the police had been unusually forthcoming with information. Photos of the bomb-making materials and the officer apprehended were made readily available, the papers said.
"As more evidence emerges I just don't buy it," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. "The entire process was very hasty: I get the feeling that they reached conclusions even before they did any genuine investigations."
Surapong Suebwonglee, a government spokesman, sought to quash speculation that the plot was not real.
"This was an assassination attempt," Surapong said in a telephone interview. "We caught the bomber. If it was a real set-up we would not have gotten any suspects."
As a security precaution, Surapong said, Thaksin would cut back his public appearances. The interim prime minister would continue to attend to "very important" government business himself, but would not attend minor functions.
Opposition parties demanded Friday that the government be more forthcoming with information relating to the plot.
"The public wants to know what is the reality and what is fiction," said Ongart Klampaiboon, spokesman for the opposition Democrat party.
Opposition politicians said they feared that deep divisions in Thai society over Thaksin could lead to further violence. Earlier in the week, Thai television showed images of anti-Thaksin supporters and detractors scuffling, fighting that left several people injured.
Thaksin's support remains strong in the countryside, and news of the alleged plot may strengthen his party's chances in the October election.
"This immediately paints Thaksin as a victim and as an underdog," said Thitinan at Chulalongkorn University. "It will play out as Thaksin being threatened by his opponents. This will surely shore up Thaksin's popularity."
A high-ranking military officer dismissed over an alleged attempt to assassinate Thailand's interim prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, denied any involvement Friday and called the plot a fabrication.
"If I had done it, I guarantee that the prime minister would not have survived," General Panlop Pinmanee, the deputy chief of the Internal Security Operations Command, told reporters in Bangkok. "I think Thaksin cooked the thing up to damage me."
The discovery Thursday by police of a car laden with explosives near Thaksin's residence has added intrigue to an already shadowy political battle between the Thai leader and groups in Bangkok vowing to oust him from politics.
With elections scheduled for Oct. 15, the alleged plot introduces the prospect of further violence in a political crisis that until this week had been largely peaceful. Thailand has not had a sitting Parliament since February, when Thaksin called for a first round of elections. These were held in April but were boycotted by the opposition and nullified by the courts in May.
The driver of the car seized Thursday, Thawatchai Klinchana, is a lieutenant from the Internal Security Operations Command. He was arrested and charged with illegal possession of an explosive device.
Thaksin said Friday that "three or four" military officers were involved in the plot and that more suspects would be arrested.
"I never thought this kind of thing could happen in Thailand," Thaksin said, according to Agence France- Presse. "I don't have wicked intentions toward anybody."
News of the plot was met with skepticism by many in Bangkok. Newspapers pointed to conflicting reports by officers at the scene, noting that the police had been unusually forthcoming with information. Photos of the bomb-making materials and the officer apprehended were made readily available, the papers said.
"As more evidence emerges I just don't buy it," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. "The entire process was very hasty: I get the feeling that they reached conclusions even before they did any genuine investigations."
Surapong Suebwonglee, a government spokesman, sought to quash speculation that the plot was not real.
"This was an assassination attempt," Surapong said in a telephone interview. "We caught the bomber. If it was a real set-up we would not have gotten any suspects."
As a security precaution, Surapong said, Thaksin would cut back his public appearances. The interim prime minister would continue to attend to "very important" government business himself, but would not attend minor functions.
Opposition parties demanded Friday that the government be more forthcoming with information relating to the plot.
"The public wants to know what is the reality and what is fiction," said Ongart Klampaiboon, spokesman for the opposition Democrat party.
Opposition politicians said they feared that deep divisions in Thai society over Thaksin could lead to further violence. Earlier in the week, Thai television showed images of anti-Thaksin supporters and detractors scuffling, fighting that left several people injured.
Thaksin's support remains strong in the countryside, and news of the alleged plot may strengthen his party's chances in the October election.
"This immediately paints Thaksin as a victim and as an underdog," said Thitinan at Chulalongkorn University. "It will play out as Thaksin being threatened by his opponents. This will surely shore up Thaksin's popularity."
"If I had done it, I guarantee that the prime minister would not have survived," General Panlop Pinmanee, the deputy chief of the Internal Security Operations Command, told reporters in Bangkok. "I think Thaksin cooked the thing up to damage me."
The discovery Thursday by police of a car laden with explosives near Thaksin's residence has added intrigue to an already shadowy political battle between the Thai leader and groups in Bangkok vowing to oust him from politics.
With elections scheduled for Oct. 15, the alleged plot introduces the prospect of further violence in a political crisis that until this week had been largely peaceful. Thailand has not had a sitting Parliament since February, when Thaksin called for a first round of elections. These were held in April but were boycotted by the opposition and nullified by the courts in May.
The driver of the car seized Thursday, Thawatchai Klinchana, is a lieutenant from the Internal Security Operations Command. He was arrested and charged with illegal possession of an explosive device.
Thaksin said Friday that "three or four" military officers were involved in the plot and that more suspects would be arrested.
"I never thought this kind of thing could happen in Thailand," Thaksin said, according to Agence France- Presse. "I don't have wicked intentions toward anybody."
News of the plot was met with skepticism by many in Bangkok. Newspapers pointed to conflicting reports by officers at the scene, noting that the police had been unusually forthcoming with information. Photos of the bomb-making materials and the officer apprehended were made readily available, the papers said.
"As more evidence emerges I just don't buy it," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. "The entire process was very hasty: I get the feeling that they reached conclusions even before they did any genuine investigations."
Surapong Suebwonglee, a government spokesman, sought to quash speculation that the plot was not real.
"This was an assassination attempt," Surapong said in a telephone interview. "We caught the bomber. If it was a real set-up we would not have gotten any suspects."
As a security precaution, Surapong said, Thaksin would cut back his public appearances. The interim prime minister would continue to attend to "very important" government business himself, but would not attend minor functions.
Opposition parties demanded Friday that the government be more forthcoming with information relating to the plot.
"The public wants to know what is the reality and what is fiction," said Ongart Klampaiboon, spokesman for the opposition Democrat party.
Opposition politicians said they feared that deep divisions in Thai society over Thaksin could lead to further violence. Earlier in the week, Thai television showed images of anti-Thaksin supporters and detractors scuffling, fighting that left several people injured.
Thaksin's support remains strong in the countryside, and news of the alleged plot may strengthen his party's chances in the October election.
"This immediately paints Thaksin as a victim and as an underdog," said Thitinan at Chulalongkorn University. "It will play out as Thaksin being threatened by his opponents. This will surely shore up Thaksin's popularity."
A high-ranking military officer dismissed over an alleged attempt to assassinate Thailand's interim prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, denied any involvement Friday and called the plot a fabrication.
"If I had done it, I guarantee that the prime minister would not have survived," General Panlop Pinmanee, the deputy chief of the Internal Security Operations Command, told reporters in Bangkok. "I think Thaksin cooked the thing up to damage me."
The discovery Thursday by police of a car laden with explosives near Thaksin's residence has added intrigue to an already shadowy political battle between the Thai leader and groups in Bangkok vowing to oust him from politics.
With elections scheduled for Oct. 15, the alleged plot introduces the prospect of further violence in a political crisis that until this week had been largely peaceful. Thailand has not had a sitting Parliament since February, when Thaksin called for a first round of elections. These were held in April but were boycotted by the opposition and nullified by the courts in May.
The driver of the car seized Thursday, Thawatchai Klinchana, is a lieutenant from the Internal Security Operations Command. He was arrested and charged with illegal possession of an explosive device.
Thaksin said Friday that "three or four" military officers were involved in the plot and that more suspects would be arrested.
"I never thought this kind of thing could happen in Thailand," Thaksin said, according to Agence France- Presse. "I don't have wicked intentions toward anybody."
News of the plot was met with skepticism by many in Bangkok. Newspapers pointed to conflicting reports by officers at the scene, noting that the police had been unusually forthcoming with information. Photos of the bomb-making materials and the officer apprehended were made readily available, the papers said.
"As more evidence emerges I just don't buy it," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. "The entire process was very hasty: I get the feeling that they reached conclusions even before they did any genuine investigations."
Surapong Suebwonglee, a government spokesman, sought to quash speculation that the plot was not real.
"This was an assassination attempt," Surapong said in a telephone interview. "We caught the bomber. If it was a real set-up we would not have gotten any suspects."
As a security precaution, Surapong said, Thaksin would cut back his public appearances. The interim prime minister would continue to attend to "very important" government business himself, but would not attend minor functions.
Opposition parties demanded Friday that the government be more forthcoming with information relating to the plot.
"The public wants to know what is the reality and what is fiction," said Ongart Klampaiboon, spokesman for the opposition Democrat party.
Opposition politicians said they feared that deep divisions in Thai society over Thaksin could lead to further violence. Earlier in the week, Thai television showed images of anti-Thaksin supporters and detractors scuffling, fighting that left several people injured.
Thaksin's support remains strong in the countryside, and news of the alleged plot may strengthen his party's chances in the October election.
"This immediately paints Thaksin as a victim and as an underdog," said Thitinan at Chulalongkorn University. "It will play out as Thaksin being threatened by his opponents. This will surely shore up Thaksin's popularity."
1 comment:
We have to wait and see if that kind of dirty politics worked in Thailand. That is the only choice for Thaksin. Never tried, never knew! as he's seen that it did work well in Cambodia.
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